SALARY RANGE:

OPEN PERIOD:

SERIES & GRADE:

POSITION INFORMATION:

Full Time -
Permanent

DUTY LOCATIONS:

1 vacancy in the following location:College Park, MD United StatesView Map

WHO MAY APPLY:

Status Candidates (Merit Promotion and VEOA Eligibles)

JOB SUMMARY:

Become a part of the Department that touches the lives of every American! At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) you can give back to your community, state, and country by making a difference in the lives of Americans everywhere. It is the principal agency for protecting the health of citizens. Join HHS and help to make our world healthier, safer, and better for all Americans.

As an Interdisciplinary Scientist within Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN), Office of Food Defense, Communication and Emergency Response, Risk Assessment Coordination Team, you will serve as a member of a team that conducts risk assessment activities related to microbiological agents, toxins, and chemicals in foods.

This vacancy is also being announced concurrently with vacancy announcement HHS-FDA-CFSN-DE-13-883205 under competitive procedures. Please review that announcement to see if you are eligible for consideration under competitive procedures. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately for each announcement in order to be considered.

PHS Commissioned Corps Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps may apply online to this announcement under noncompetitive merit promotion procedures. Candidates will be referred to (CC) personnel and not as candidates for conversion to a permanent career or career-conditional appointment.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the basic AND specialized requirements as noted below:

BASIC EDUCATION: Applicants must demonstrate at least one (I, II, III, and/or IV) of the following:

(I) Basic Educational Requirement for the GS-0401, Biologist

A. A degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or a related discipline. (You must submit transcript at time of application submission)

- OR -

B. Courses equivalent to a major as shown in A above plus additional education or appropriate experience. (You must submit transcript at time of application submission)

(II) Basic Educational Requirement for the GS-0403, Microbiologist

A. A degree in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included at least 20 semester hours in microbiology or other subjects related to the study of microorganisms, and 20 semester hours in the physical and mathematical sciences combining course work in organic chemistry or biochemistry, physics, and college algebra, or their equivalent. (You must submit transcript that shows the related coursework at time of application submission)

- OR -

B. A combination of education and experience  courses equivalent to a major in microbiology, biology, chemistry, or basic medical science that included courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. (You must submit transcript that shows the related coursework at time of application submission)

(III) Basic Educational Requirement for the GS-0415, Toxicologist

A degree in toxicology; or an appropriate discipline of the biological, medical, or veterinary sciences that included at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, biochemistry, or physiology, and 12 semester hours in toxicology. (You must submit transcript that shows the related coursework at time of application submission)

(IV) Basic Educational Requirement for the GS-1320, Chemist

A. A degree in physical sciences, life sciences, or engineering that included 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics. (You must submit transcript that shows the related coursework at time of application submission)

- OR -

B. Courses equivalent to a major as shown in A above, including at least 30 semester hours in chemistry, supplemented by course work in mathematics through differential and integral calculus, and at least 6 semester hours of physics, plus additional education or appropriate experience. (You must submit transcript that shows the related coursework at time of application submission)

Possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service that included leading work groups; developing, implementing and reviewing risk assessment activities and research plans; and performing food safety risk assessment research including planning, organizing and directing studies on risk assessment and related research.

You must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned that demonstrates the coursework and/or degree requirement as stated in the qualifications section of this announcement. Degree requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of this job announcement and your transcript(s) submitted must reflect this.

This position requires that specific course(s) be demonstrated to meet the basic education requirement.Your transcript(s) must clearly demonstrate the course(s) listed in the qualification requirement section.If the transcript(s) does not clearly demonstrate this you must submit a copy of the course description and/or other documentation demonstrating that the courses are equivalent.

Failure to provide any of the above will result in an ineligible rating.

Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program. For further information, click on foreign education

All qualification requirements must be met by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Conditions of Employment:

1. Time-in-Grade: Career or career-conditional current and former Federal employees who select to apply under merit promotion procedures must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade level of this position.

2. Security and Background Requirements:If not previously completed, a background security investigation will be required for all appointees. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements may be grounds for appropriate personnel action. In addition, if hired, a background security reinvestigation or supplemental investigation may be required at a later time. Applicants are also advised that all information concerning qualifications is subject to investigation. False representation may be grounds for non-consideration, non-selection and/or appropriate disciplinary action.

3. E-Verify: If you are selected for this position, the documentation that you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 will be verified through the DHS "E-Verify" System. Federal law requires DHS to use the E-Verify System to verify employment eligibility of all new hires, and as a condition of continued employment obligates the new hire to take affirmative steps to resolve any discrepancies identified by the system. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an E-Verify Participant.

4. Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

5. All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

6. Financial disclosure statement may be required.

7. One-year probationary period may be required.

8. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will be paid: No

9. Bargaining Unit Position: Yes

10. Drug Screening Required: No

11. Recruitment incentives may be authorized: No

12. Student loan repayment incentive authorized: No

13. Annual leave for non-federal service authorized: Maybe

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:

Once the job opportunity announcement closes, a review of your résumé and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If, after reviewing your résumé and supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your responses when compared to your background information, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your skills and abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

For Competitive Merit Promotion and Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) Applicants: The highest rated candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

For Noncompetitive Applicants: All qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring agency.

The assessment questionnaire is designed to measure the following competencies that are required for this position:

BENEFITS:

OTHER INFORMATION:

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions (you must submit a DD214-member copy 4).

Career Transition Program: This program applies to Federal workers whose positions have been deemed 'surplus' or no longer needed, or an employee has been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must be rated 'well-qualified. Well-qualified means eligible applicants whose knowledge, skills, and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements of the position.

Selective Service: The Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that all male applicants born after 12/31/59 who are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, be registered or they are not eligible for appointment to this position. For further information concerning Selective Service requirements, please visit http://www.sss.gov/.

HOW TO APPLY:

Click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the on-line assessment questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process.

2) Print the 1203FX form to record your responses to the questionnaire.

3) Fax the completed 1203FX (all 6 pages but do not include a Cover Page for this document) to: 1-478-757-3144.

4) Print the Fax Cover Page and include with any supporting documents you fax (e.g., résumé, transcripts, veterans documentation, etc.) to the same fax number above.

Please do not complete steps 1-4 above if you are applying on-line.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

Your Résumé - You are encouraged to use the USAJobs online resume builder to ensure that all required information is in your resume. If you use your own résumé, curriculum vitae, or any other written form you choose then you must describe your job-related qualifications that include beginning and ending dates for paid and non-paid work experience, hours worked per week, month and year of employment for each job title listed.

Responses to the Assessment Questionnaire

Standard Form 50 (if you are a current or former Federal service employee)

College Transcript(s) - please see qualification section for specific course requirements for each series (if any)